Christos FC settling into new league

Last month, Christos FC played its inaugural match of the Northeast Elite Soccer League, a new league that matches up seven of the top Region I clubs.

Last month, Christos FC played its inaugural match of the Northeast Elite Soccer League, a new league that matches up seven of the top Region I clubs.

Brian Burdenbburden@baltsun.com

On June 10, Anthony Allison scored two goals in the waning minutes, including one in stoppage time, to lead Junior Lone Star FC (PA.) over Christos FC (MD.), 3-2. It was the inaugural match of the Northeast Elite Soccer League, a new league that matches up seven of the top Region I clubs.

Although brand new, the league represents a giant step forward for amateur sides and leagues all around Region I. The seven clubs hail from four state associations within the region: The Cosmopolitan League in the Eastern New York State Soccer Association, the Philadelphia Premier League in the Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Association, the Maryland Major Soccer League in the Maryland State Soccer Association and the Garden State Soccer League in the New Jersey Soccer Association.

“For us, just the opportunity to play clubs like Lansdowne Bhoys at least one more time a year made it worth it,” said Jody Haislip, general manager of Christos FC. “Week in and week out, we are going to be facing some of the best teams from the surrounding areas. That is huge. It is a challenge.”

The idea of the league had been bandied about for over a year, with the process escalating in the last 5-6 months. Clubs paid an entrance fee and a summer schedule was set up, set to run through early August, with four of the seven clubs making the playoffs.

“Jim Bollinger, the president of the EPSA (Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Association) picked us,” said Blaise Santangelo, head coach of West Chester United SC (PA.) “All of the teams in here have been part of runs to National Cup finals, or at least made it into regional play. We have faced all of them and have a fairly heated rivalry with Junior Lone Star.”

In addition to Junior Lone Star FC and West Chester United SC from Pennsylvania, and Christos FC out of Linthicum, Maryland, Cedar Stars Academy (NY.), Lansdowne Yonkers FC (NY), Izee Autobody FC (MD.) and FC Motown Lions (NJ) are also in the league. These are clubs with varying origins that have a similar desire – to see soccer grow while taking care to provide younger players strong playing options. These clubs have connections and play with the United Soccer League (USL) and the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and have experienced success in various tournaments, including the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, as well as winning numerous national titles.

“The guys on the current teams speak with each other quite regularly; we respect each other’s programs because we know how much goes into building and sustaining them,” Santangelo said. “We knew we could get this league right with the programs involved.”

The NESL will bring more attention to quality amateur sides that tend to only get mentioned nationally when one makes a run in the U.S. Open Cup, like Christos FC’s bid to the fourth-round last year, where it lost late to DC United,

“Everyone wants to knock you off your perch when you get up there, but we don’t want to just be known as that team that played DC United that one time,” Haislip said. “We want to keep this going and get all the local fans excited year after year, and outside of the Cup as well.”

While only seven clubs are competing in this inaugural season, the league is already looking forward to expansion, hopefully getting up to 16 clubs, with a North and South division, extending as far north as Boston.

“Creating these regional leagues is important,” Haislip said. “It only makes teams and regions better – it only makes US soccer better as a whole. The league has put us in a good spot to play good teams. They want to get more players in there under USL and other leagues. Our teams offer a chance for these guys to rise and play in MLS some point down the road. It is the proper creation of system and makes it better to find a diamond in the rough.”

That last point is critical, as the teams currently in the league foster relationships with their respective local universities, with area high schools and travel teams paying attention as well. The NESL allows each club to hold a roster of 40, while fielding a game-day squad of 18 players. Regulations only allow five players from the same university to play on the same club, so this allows for more options for young players.

“We have such a large U-23 program (60 players) and we needed a place for them to get high-quality training, as well as get more quality games in,” Santangelo said. “This allows kids to come in and be part of it, including kids from right around in college. Also, at least this first year in the league, we wanted it to be open substitutions (instead of traditional substitutions where a player comes out and stays out). These are league games, not cup matches, and guys need to get more minutes.”

The summer schedule also fills a competitive gap for sides like Christos FC, which is in the midst of several cup competitions and would normally have no league matches for several months leading up to August finals.

“The Region I finals are this (early June) weekend – and the national final is not until mid-August,” Haislip said. “That is normally two months off with no games and little training. To get matches in, and more importantly, to get these kinds of quality opponents on the schedule this time of year, is such a boost for us and the other teams in the league.”

Quality teams, that is what the league set-up is all about. Twice Junior Lone Star FC took the lead in the inaugural match with Christos FC, and twice the Maryland side responded. Allison’s late winner is potentially a harbinger of the quality soccer to come over the next several weeks.